Another Mercy Game
by Makai-Rahl
Summary: Amanda survived Saw 3, and now has been charged by John's last wish to train Jeff's daughter Corbett. Now dodging the cops and her own fears, she must realize you must feel in order to save. And will Corbett teach Amanda that killing might not be the way?
1. Uncharitable Mercy

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from any of the SAW movies, just a huge fan of them.

A/N: this is my first Saw fic so please be nice! This is what I think should've happened at the end of the third one, as the ending made Amanda out to be this little psycho. (And if the little girl has a name, plz tell me) So here is my story. Enjoy!

Amanda started to cackle as she stood, wiping the gore and blood from the bottom of her jeans.

Nice try Jeff, but now it's you who gets the 'game over'." Smearing the blood from the wound that grazed her neck, she pointed to the bullet hole in the basin-like sink behind her. She grinned at the look of dumbfounded disbelief on Jeff's face, and turned to wash Lynn's blood off of her hand.

"You bitch!" he screamed himself hoarse, and lunged at her, bringing up the gun that he had in his hand. He pulled the trigger furiously, but to no avail, he had forgotten that there had been only one bullet in it. " Where-the-fuck-is-my-daughter?" the gun shook in his hand now, and he was precariously close to dropping it now, more tears of utter anguish running down his face. His teeth were gritted so hard; his jaw was beginning to ache.

"That's for me to know and for you to think about for the last thirty seconds of your pathetic little life." And with that, Amanda took one last lunge toward Jeff, and stuck him in the chest with the spare saw blade.

Jeff fell back slowly, staggering and falling onto Lynn's lifeless body before dying himself, his blood the last to mix with the rust and gore on the floor. Picking up the two firearms, Amanda almost looked wistful as she crossed to the other side of the room to stand next to John's bed.

His body looked even more pale and sickly now that he was gone, and she slowly closed his now clouded over light blue eyes.

"Don't worry John, this isn't over yet, I still have a few things left to do before I join you in hell, and it has to do with that little girl…." Pulling the monitors out of John, and pulling the blanket up to his shoulders, she noticed that there was one last tape still in his left hand. A wave of adrenaline, fear and hope ran through her then. Did he leave her one last clue?

She took the tape labeled with AMANDA written in his shaky hand, and picked up the tape recorder off the floor where it had fallen.

With almost too neat a '_click'_ she pushed it into the recorder and pushed play as she moved out of the room and into the rest of the factory, to where the little girl was being held. She was probably asleep by now.

_"Hello Amanda, ´_ the tape began in John's familiar rasp, _"If you're listening to this, you planned on something that I didn't, and in some way passes your test. I'm assuming that if you're listening to this I'm dead, so here are some last minutes rules I'm begging you to follow. Somehow you might've found a way to reconcile yourself with me, and for that I will be grateful. Maybe in death I will be proud to call you my daughter. But before I can, here are the rules for the greatest game of all: for my legacy to truly to continue, I need you to get past your homicidal tendencies Amanda, and start to feel again. Take the little girl with you, if she's still alive, and train her Amanda. Make her see that her lives as well as other's are precious, but make her see that those who waste their lives will be punished. I'm counting on you… and one last thing; you'll want to keep the recorder, and this tape. There will be instructions on how to get to my other house, and other instructions from there. And I forgive you, for all the wrong you have done to all the ones who passed their tests, and what you ultimately did to me. Goodbye Amanda, and good luck."_

By the time that Amanda had reached the room, she was crying again. How, after all that they had been through, all that she had done, all the people that she had killed, he still forgave her? Pushing the thought aside, Amanda unlocked the room, and found the girl sleeping inside.

Careful now to wake her up, she picked the girl and her stuffed animal up, and took her into her room, and started to get ready to leave.

Placing her on the bed, Amanda pulled out the biggest duffel bag that she could find, and after placing her bag of "goodies" in the bottom, placed all of John's cloths, her cloths, and all of the clean blankets and the few pillows into it.

Picking up the girl in one arm, she picked up the bag and made her way through the maze and out into the open, it was about mid afternoon, even though it was cloudy and foggy as well.

Putting the bag in the back, Amanda put the girl in the back seat and went back inside for a few last minute things.

Discovering another duffel in the bathroom next to the tub still filled with the same water that held Adam, she filled it with the plans to the devices, knives, ammo and other weapons, cash from all the bodies and her own and last but not least, her head trap, to serve as a reminder that this is what it took to get here, and what it might take the little girl to pass on John's long, if not gory, legacy. Pulling on John's old hoodie, and grabbing the cape, she stalked out of the factory, turning off all the lights.


	2. Kramer,Amanda Young

Disclaimer: I don't own Saw. Or any of the stuff I mention in here, (brand names and stuff) There I said it.

A/n: Wow, I didn't think that you all would take to this one so well thank you! But I guess since you have, here's the next chapter! (sorry, I finally know the girls name so I had to fix it, twice.)

IT was about seven in the evening when Amanda heard the girl stirring in the backseat of the van.

"Where am I? Why is it so dark out?"

"It's because you're in the back of a van." Amanda would never know why she answered like she did, like she was actually going to get attached to her or something. "And we're about to pull into a motel for the night. Would you like that?" she pulled under the roof that had REGESTRATION painted on it in puke green, and parked a little harder than she meant to when the little voice behind her said quietly, "But Billy wants to know why we're here, huh Billy?"

"And who is Billy?" Amada vaguely remembered that name, but she didn't know where.

"My bunny of course." The little girl flashed her first smile from the rear view mirror, but it quickly faded. "Where are my mommy and daddy?"

"They had an…." Amanda was at a loss for words as she got out and opened the back of the van, pulling out a clean set of cloths for her, and one of johns old T-shirts for the younger one to sleep in. She then could wash her cloths, hoping that the blood would come out. "They had an accident, and they wanted me to take care of you since they wouldn't be able too, an older man agreed with them, and told your mommy and daddy that I could raise you right. And then they died." _'Yeah, turning you into the next big inadvertent cereal killer. Yep, Aunt Amanda's gonna really raise you right.'_

"But are they ever going to come back?" the girl climbed out through the back, and Amanda had to rush to hide the two guns and the box from her.

"No, they're not. So we have to go find a new place to live, where Aunt Amanda can teach you all sorts of good things." Her patience was starting to wear thin, but what the hell, she was only a little kid, who was standing next to the murder of both this child's parents, and suprisingly, trying not to cry. "Hey, by the way, your parents never told me your name. What is it?"

"Corbett."

"Ok Corbett, let's get settled into a room and see if Aunt Amanda can get us some food." Picking up Macie a little more roughly than she meant to, Amanda strode into the small motel, hoping that the cops hadn't found out that they'd left yet.

The motel was small, with only about twenty little single bedrooms in which travelers could rest their heads. The lobby could be called a glorified living room, with one huge RCA 1972 color t.v. that looked like it had seen better days. The couch that was sitting across from it had passed its prime, it's once white cotton apolustry now a sickly shade of yellow, printed in sad looking rainbow flowers. The wallpaper Corbett guessed used to be a really bright shade of green, but now looked like puke. The front desk had carvings in it that reminded her of one of her old cellmates that had been majority into carving anything and everything into their forearm with a fork prong. She winced, and then rang the bell.

"Yeah, yeah I'm comin'!" was the reply from the back, and out came a man that looked to be about in his mid- sixties, with a beer belly so big that Amanda thought she could loose Corbett in it.

"Whadda ya want?"

"A room for the night, what the hell else would I want in a fuc-" she stopped herself, her conscience once again telling her that she might be able to come back and get this guy later, "Just a room."

"Ok, name?" he took out a dingy soot ridden pad that fit in with the rest of the place.

"Amanda You-…Kramer. Amanda Kramer." If she was going to be John's daughter, it might as well be now.

"Alright. Room 12. And as long as you get out by one tomorrow afternoon, I really don't care." He handed over the room key, and taking Corbett's hand tightly, they left for their room.

The room was no better then the factory, minus the blood and gore, but at least it was clean enough to be sanitary.

"Well, here we are for the night, and there's a McDonald's across the road. You wanna go get something?"

Corbett nodded, and with Billy the Bunny in tow, they crossed the road to get something to eat. After ordering, Amanda caught a piece of conversation that made he start, and move a little faster. She had forgot to watch the news.

"Hey did you hear that the Jigsaw guy was finally killed? They found him with his throat slashed in this weird bed that looked like a hospital bed, there were two bodies, and a lot of tapes too, damn that guy is creepy. They say that he had an assistant, but they're nowhere to be found."

"Yeah right, I bet he made it look like murder, killed the others in the room, and one of them was the assistant."

"Maybe, but there was supposed to be a little girl there, but she was nowhere to be found…" That was it, they had to get out of there.

Going back to the motel, Amanda made sure that Corbett had a bath, and crawled into bed with Billy before she also took a shower, putting all the cloths in there with her to get rinsed, the blood a sickly shade of rust going down the drain. After getting out, she turned on the evening news, and fell asleep next to the girl, still holding the tape recorder.

Mak: well, hope you liked the second chapter, hit the button when you check out!


	3. To a home never known

Disclaimer: I don't own Saw. I also don't own any of the brand names that I might mention here.

A/N: Hey I'm so happy that you guy s like this1 This chapter might be a little shorter than the others because I had to write it at school because I'm going to the movies tonight.

Amanda woke up earlier than she expected the next morning, with a sense that there would be something very wrong going on, that she and Corbett were in trouble. Then she saw what had been plaguing her, the cops were about thirty yards away, sitting in their squad car, sipping probably what was left over from last night at McDonalds.

"Jesus tap dancing Christ!" she exclaimed, jumping off of the bed and quickly slamming the curtains closed.

" How the fuck did they…" she was cut off by Corbett waking up and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Sensing Amanda's fear, she asked, "What's the matter Aunt Amanda?"

"There are some men outside that would like to take you away from me… and that wouldn't be a good thing because Aunt Amanda is the one that is supposed to take care of you because mom and dad and grandpa John wanted to make sure that we stayed together. So go ahead and get dressed, get Billy and wait for me ok?"

Corbett nodded as she got off the bed, pulling off John's shirt in the process. After dressing quickly and packing their things, Corbett hid behind Amanda as she slowly opened the door and looked out to see where their friends were.

Good, they had just a few minutes to get to the van and get the hell out of there.

Or so they thought. Amanda had just shoved Corbett into the back seat and shut the door when she heard a voice behind her, "There she is."

She whipped around just in time to see the motel guy from the afternoon before point her out to two detectives. On was about 5'8", with brisk walk and a dominant persona, his steel eyes matching the color of his hair. The other was about two inches shorter, with a commanding air, but not as pompous.

"Ms. Kramer? May we…" the detective didn't even have time to flash his badge by the time Amanda got into the driver's seat and started the engine.

"Ms. Kramer!" Amanda tore out of the parking lot and took off, leaving the two at a loss.

"Well Dominic, I think that we found the assistant, and now we can get a positive ID on her, and she probably has the girl with her too."

"Yeah Shelly, but is she alive or not? That madman and that woman are both dangerous killers, who knows, maybe she has plans for keeping the girl alive."

" I dunno, but we're gonna have to keep up with that van."

It was about two hours later when Amanda finally pulled over in the middle of a small town named Somerset, and into their gas station to fill up and to let Corbett go to the bathroom and get something to eat, she's been complain for the last hour.

"Ok, we're here, now go and go to the bathroom, Aunt Amanda had to look at grandpa John's direction's on how to get to his house."

Corbett nodded, and with Amanda standing right outside the door, she used the bathroom while Amanda listened to the rest of John's tape.

"_Hello Amanda,_

_I'm guessing by now you have made it out of the factory, and are now on the road, very good. You will now want to take highway 120 out of the city and to a town called Josiah. There you will take Tuscany road to the toy factory and turn right, you will know how to find your way from there. Trust me. If you don't, just ask the new owner of the factory. Good luck."_

Amanda sighed, at least they were in the right direction and the cops didn't follow them. So with Corbett done doing her business, she put the girl back in the van, used the bathroom, bought a map and food, and the pair were on their way.


	4. Thoughts pt 1

Disclaimer: Don't own SAW or anything else that I might mention eventually.

A/N: hey all, here's chapter 4, and now that their on the run, this chapter is gonna focus more on Amanda's thoughts. (Oh, I didn't go to the movies, I went bowling and my bf kicked my butt.)

Taking the left hand turn onto the highway, she got lost in the thought of not only having to take care of this little girl in the back seat and keep her away from the cops until this all died out, but how to tell an eight year old that murdering people was a good thing. But then again, somehow John had told her that exact same thing, and somehow she could believe him then, and she could still believe him now. That was part of being a daughter wasn't it?

Sighing, she turned on her blinker, and into another motel parking lot.

This is what it cost to teach the lucky one the mechanics of murder. How to build traps and set up games, how to fix a timing device so well and so many times that you could do it in your sleep. To watch people die and not blink a tear.

That wasn't the type of education you got in regular school, that just taught you to become a prick of the masses, to exploit and take as you please while the others under you crumble and fall.

That's what John had taught her, that you must not fall into the monaty of the world, to ruin her life, just like she had done with the drugs and the partying, that's how the hell she ended up in this situation in the first place. But through it all, Amanda was great full. Great full that she now had to drag this little urchin around and raise her to be the next one to carry on John's message.

Getting out of the van, she shifted little before just locking the doors and shifting Corbett into the front passenger side to sleep, they would be to Josiah soon. But she was so tired, and her nerves were screaming for a shot of heroin, and she did still have that big bottle left…

Getting out of the van, she opened the back, and dug out the first bag that she had ever packed, making sure that Corbett's little blue eyes were still shut, Amanda took out the bottle, a clean needle and a tourniquet. Strapping the rubber to her arm she waited for her veins to pop up. She was just about to shove the needle into her arm; she heard voices that were close to her ear, but far away at the same time.

"No Amanda!" It sounded like John… who was hat other voice? … She couldn't remember. Shit why did he always have to scold her like that? She was about to do it again when she heard a freakish clicking inside the bag. Tearing it open, she was just in time for her head trap to go off again, and the timer kept going until she had unwrapped her arm and put everything away.

The gospel according to St. John Kramer the killer, patron of his adopted daughter and her unknowing apprentice, the only surving child of two parents who had been killed by the heroin addict.

Yep, life was going to be fun. Sighing, she got back in the front, locked the door, and had nightmares until dawn.


	5. Confessions pt 2

Disclaimer: Don't own SAW, just this story line.

A/N: Yea more reviews to keep me going! This chapter should be a bit longer than the other two, sorry. Enjoy!

It was about 5 in the morning when nightmares woke Corbett out of her sleep. Sitting up, the little girl saw that they were still in the parking lot of the hotel that they had stopped at, and she could see flashing red and blue lights. "Uh oh, this isn't good… Aunt Amanda! Aunt Amanda wake up!" The little girl's small hands went to Amanda's shoulder to wake her up. The first thing Amanda saw when opening her eyes was the dinner plate sized eyes of a little girl with brown hair and a thinning out face.

"What the hell did you wake me up for?" She snapped her voice going back to her usual iciness.

"Well, if you want to get out of here before the cops get to us…" Corbett pointed a sarcastic finger out the window, and that's when the two heard the ricochet of bullets of the back of the van. Why the fuck were they shooting at them?

Amanda woke up fast, throttling the engine, almost turning it over too much. "Shit…come on… Fuck!" the engine finally roared to life, and Corbett finally got her seatbelt on before Amanda tore out onto the highway, the cops in hot pursuit.

"Where are we going?" Corbett was scared, she didn't know what was going to happen, and Amanda had had it with these fucking detectives, who had probably put a look out for the van, she should've known. Once they got to Josiah, she would have to change cars.

"To Grandpa Johns, now would you please be quiet so I can think?" Amanda spat, and the little girl nodded; clutching Billy to her.

Then it came to her. She pulled off to the side of the road, and stopped, telling Corbett to stay where she was and to not move.

Climbing into the back of the van, Amanda grabbed her two guns, a homemade bomb that was left over from the classroom trap, and got back to the front. Putting her belt back on, the cops were almost on them, and Corbett, sopping quietly from fear, brought her knees up to her chin, Billy safely in her arms. Amanda put the van back in drive, and took off again. Rolling down the window, she took the gun that Jeff had used to shoot at her and cocked it. Taking the small bomb in her spare fingers, she tossed it out the window, and hoping that John would guide her shot, she shot at the bomb.

It worked.

The bomb went off in mid air, and as they sped away, none of the cop cars made it past the ignition point. Two of them caught fire where they were, and the two others were run off the road and one of them flipped. Her intention hadn't been to kill, just to delay. Unfourtanely for her however, all but two of the officers made it out.

The two detectives, who were in the last car in the bunch, and the other one that had rolled off the road.

"God damnit that stupid bitch!" Dominic exclaimed, unscathed by the accident, he had climbed out of a hole in the windshield. Running over to the passenger side, he saw that Shelly was alive, just barely. Calling for help, he thought about how dangerous that this Ms. Kramer could be. If she was anything like they suspected her to be, this was going to be a long and difficult road to catch her, if they ever did.

Her heart rate slowing down a little ways down the road, Amanda looked over to Corbett, an said a little haltingly, " Hey, Corbett, you ok?"

"Yeah… Aunt Amanda, why did you have to do that to those cops? I mean; you didn't even really flinch. I may be just eight, but I'm not stupid."

Amanda allowed herself a small smile as she said, "well, that 's what they get for trying to take you away from me. I told you Aunt Amanda was going to take care of you and Billy didn't I? And part of that was going to get to Grandpa John's and see what he wanted us to do once we got there. And that's what we're trying to do." Corbett noticed that she was shaking, and the child reached out a hand to try and still her surrogate Aunt.

"It'll be ok Aunt Amanda, I never liked cops much anyway, to tell the truth." this girl was smarter than her years.

Amanda started; did she just hear that out of this girl's mouth? "Really? Why?"

"Because mom and dad used to talk about getting a divorce all the time. And one of the times that mom took off with me and Billy, the cops caught her and put her in jail for the night. I was stuck on a cold bench for the rest of the night, and they didn't even come to tell me what was going on until dad came and got me the next morning. They were just like you a couple days ago, completely ignorant to the fact that I am actually intelligent to know what's going on."

Amanda cackled at that, she never allowed herself to really laugh at anything anymore.

"Oh my god, I have a smart ass little kid with me don't I? Well, now that I'm not totally ignorant, how bout we find grandpa Johns house huh? We're in Josiah now."

"But we only got out of the other place about 2 hours ago…"

"Yeah I did 85 all the way there."

"Thanks for tying to get us killed _again_ Aunt Amanda,, " she raised an eyebrow and giggled a little, "but what are we looking for?"

"An old toy factory where he used to work, and a left hand turn by it…"

"There it is!" In the pre dawn light, the girl spotted the road, and about half a mile into the woods, Amanda and Corbett spotted a two story Victorian, with a huge rotted stone wall in the front, and a car in the driveway.

"Well, I guess we're here. Let's ditch the van and get inside." Amanda put the van in park, and got out and into the back to take out her three bags.

" You want me to carry something?"

"Sure here, I need to get out the tap to see where John put the key…" she handed th backpack to her as she pushed play on the recorder, and heard one last message from John on this .

"_So I guess you made it to the house. Good Job, the key should be in the flower pot on the right hand side, when you get in there will be another tape on the kitchen counter when you're settle and ready Amanda. Good job for making it there."_

The tape ran out just as the pair got in the door.

The house was slightly dingy, because it hadn't been lived in for a few months. The front door lead into the hall, a staircase to the left and the living room to the right. Stepping into the room, Amanda dropped the two bags that she was holding, forgetting that her trap was inside. It went off again, sounding like a gunshot on the hard wood floor. Corbett jumped, and looked to the bag.

"Sorry, that thing likes to do that, I'll unpack it tonight."

The girl nodded, and they went into the kitchen, where Amanda's next tape awaited her.


	6. Mechanics of Murder

Disclaimer: I. Don't. Own. Saw.

A/N: Well, here's six, and no I'll try and not make Corbett too smart, don't worry.

A few hours later, after Corbett went to take a nap, Amanda went into the kitchen to unpack what little they had with them, and see if John had indeed left her another tape. Taking what little food they had out of the backpack and shoving it in the fridge, she found the next tape taped to the rancid milk carton.

She untaped it, and shoved it in the recorder, not attempting to push play until she drug the other two bags into the master bedroom and set them on the bed Pressing play, she listened to the tape while she unpacked the other two bags.

_"Well Amanda, since you've made it this far I might as well say congratulations, you've made it. I'm assuming the girl is still with you, so take what I have to heart. Go ahead and get attached to her Amanda, that is the only way you are going to be able to fully teach her what I have tried to teach you. You still have much to learn, not only…" _the tape trailed off and coughing could be heard, then it went on, _"not only the mechanics of murder, but why. You know why Amanda, but you have yet to fully understand it. When I took you in, I think that you had lost the sense of not how you survived, but why. When I first saw you in the hospital Amanda, the only thing I heard you say was " I just want to die." You never thought of the potential that you had what you could become. I did, I saw what you could become Amanda, and that's  why I chose you, not only because you passed your first test, but because I still saw the light that you possessed. And it's still there, you just have to let it grow, not…" _the coughing got worse, and there was a long pause before John finished, _"not to dash it out and become a murderer. You know how much I hate those kid of people. Reteach yourself to let go, and most of all: Show mercy. That's what this is all about. Now before I end this side of the tape, I'm guessing that you took the plans, there are more in the basement… along with some of my early trials that I think you might like. I taped them all, so have a look at them, see if there will be any recent subjects in which to apply them to. But be careful, there is an extra of Billy that I used to talk to them too, so do not be scared. Good bye for now Amanda."_

The tape ended just as Amanda pulled out her trap, staring at it in awe. She had never really gotten to look at it before now, never really saw how long it had taken John to build it. It was gruesomely intricate, the design. It wasn't just a chunk of metal, she saw after she pulled out the plans for it that he had actually made it just for her, as all the traps were made just for his subjects.

The mouthpiece was the exact size of her jaw, the springs just enough that they would've just pulled at the top of her head, tearing it off. The timing device that was hooked in it so that if she hadn't passed, he could use it on someone her size again, yet why it kept ticking every time that she wanted to do something that she wasn't supposed to was almost beyond her. IT was probably John reminding her that she had earned the right to live, but she wasn't using it that well. That if she wanted to waste her life away she might as well put her trap back on and let her head be ripped off because every time she wanted to give this up, that's what she was doing.

Shaking the thoughts from her mind, she put it in a place of honor on a dusty shelf above the dresser along with the plans, to serve once and for all her reminder to John.

It was about four in the afternoon when she finally ventured down to the basement, and found that what John had said was true, there were pieces of traps everywhere, and a stack of tapes on the floor, one even labeled AMANDA. It was hers, what had she looked like on that day, she couldn't even remember, she hadn't even remembered where she had been that day when John had kidnapped her. Curious, she popped in the tape.

Then it all came flooding back.

_It had been raining that day, and she really hadn't been in the mood to go anywhere, she just wanted to stay at the sorry excuse she had for an apartment and get high. But the bad thing was she was out of heroin again after her last trip too the hospital for an O. D., so she took what cash she had left in her dresser drawer and got dresses in her favorite purple and black plaid skirt and purple top and arm warmers, an set out._

_Finding her usual supplier, she had just enough for one shot and that was it. Paying her supplier, she barely noticed how he had gotten grabbed as she walked out of the alley by John. Getting back into her apartment, she was about to pull out a tourniquet from under her bed when something hit her in the back of the head, and she didn't remember anything else. That is, until she woke up._

_She could taste the sick metal in her mouth before she opened her eyes; she could feel something pressing into her upper and lower jaws, making them bleed profusely. She started to panic, feeling that her hands were bound to what she was sitting in. That's when the t.v. turned on, and when she first saw that all too familiar puppet on the t.v._

"_Hello Amanda, you don't know me, but I know you…" and the rest was history._

Amanda didn't even flinch when she saw herself plunge the scalpel into the dealer's stomach. She just barely remembered pulling off her trap in that room, and she didn't remember running out of the room, knocking Billy off of his bike…then the end of the tape, long after the Amanda on screen had gone.

" _So many people are ungrateful to be alive, but not you…not anymore…"_

She could still taste the metal. Running her tongue over her teeth, she felt the little scars that had formed on the roof of her mouth and her gumline because of how far it had dug in. But once again it served as that haunting reminder of why she had to teach Corbett the mechanics of murder, so she would never have to be in that chair, and why Amanda hoped that she would never be in that chair again.


	7. Lesson one, and a visitor in the night

Disclaimer: Don't own SAW. Just the story line.

A/N: sorry this is short but I'm at my sisters and she doesn't have a good word processor. this one will be broken itnto parts, but I don't know how many.( single quotes indacate dream)

Amanda clamored up the stairs, knowing that she would have a long road ahead of her, and the beginning of it was actually to get a job, even a killer needs money, and she didn't want to have to resort to selling drugs or god knows what else. At least it was the beginning of summer and she didn't have to worry about Corbett going to school, and potentially getting detained by the police.  
Pulling the pile of papers off of the poor looking front porch, she threw all of them away except for the most recent, which was about two days old. Flipping open the classifieds, she scanned through, and found a job bussing tables at one of the local restaurants. Picking up the phone and finding that it wasn't cut yet, she dialed the place to see if the job was still open, and if she could bring her 8 year old niece with her to work for a while.  
"Yeah, just don't let the customers see her. As long as you show up on time you can have the job"  
Sighing, Amanda said thank you and hung up. Hearing Corbett coming down the stairs, she turned to see the little girl enter the kitchen, holding Billy the bunny by the ear.  
"Hey Aunt Amanda, what's for dinner tonight? And I thought you were going to show me what was in that big bag you had"  
"We are going to go get stuff from the store, since I just got a job. And as far as that bag goes... I won't show you what was in it until you understand how it was built. That will be your first lesson, okay"  
"Lesson in what?" Corbett raised an eyebrow.  
"In what Grandpa John taught me, and what I have to teach you now." Amanda left the kitchen, and went up the other flight of stairs, but stopped. She wasn't quite ready for Corbett to see what was precious to her.  
"Actually, we'll start with this..." she led the girl to the living room, and they sat.  
"So what did grandpa John teach you"  
"He taught me that even if you think that your life isn't worth anything, that you still have something to live for, and if you take that thing for granted, then you don't deserve to live. He taught me that, he saved my life"  
"Is that why you're on edge so much?" the little girl once again put her hand on Amanda's, and squeezed.  
"Yeah, it's just that he wanted me to show you that and teach you some ways to help others know what I know, and what you now will learn. I mean, you'll still go to school and stuff, but you will see the people that need to learn the lessons that I'm going to teach you; and then you can teach those people. But it won't be nice, and it won't be pretty, sometimes you have to sacrifice a lot of yourself"  
"Like how? What do they have to sacrifice? Parts of them? And blood"  
Amanda smiled cruelly. "Oh yes...there will be blood, lots of blood." She was not going to show any mercy right now, and the first people they were going to go after—those cops. But that would be a while unfournately they still had a long way to go before that, and she still had to teach Corbett, as well as herself, to feel.

But not at the moment, she couldnt' take anymore excitement for one day, and her nerves were screaming for releace. Scrounging food for Corbett, she didn't care how mant times her trap went off, she needed heroin. Now.

But turns out that wasn't her best idea either. She started to dream, and it wasn't very plesant.

'She was still sitting in the chair, her arms taped to it, and her trap in her mouth. She could taste the metal again, and somehow she knew that this time she wasn't going to be as lucky, and John wasn't going to be as merciful.. "You know what happens when you waste your life Amanda..." the voice wasn't John's, it was Adams! But she wasn't about to get to talk, she felt her jaw rip open and her head strt to pound'

Amanda bolted awake, and ran for the bathroom, all the time thinking about what had happened.

"Ok, I gotta get something less lethal..." with that, she went back to puking.


	8. Thoughts of tomorrow

Disclaimer: I. Don't. Own. Saw. And Liz belongs to Animorphgirl.

A/N: Hey, here's another one, should have less problems since I'm back at home.

Chpt 8!

After she was done puking, Amanda crawled back into bed, not wanting to go back to sleep, thinking of what dreams now plagued her.

"Why would Adam give a shit about me? " she wondered allowed, " I suffocated him for god's sake!" she rolled over and huffed. This was going to be a long night.

It was about 8:30 in the morning when Corbett came bouncing in to her aunts room, but she did it quietly, she didn't want to wake Amanda just yet.

The little girl peered around the room, taking in all the sights.

The oak dresser on the right hand side was covered in a thick layer of dust, having sat there unused for over two months. On top of that rested the used duffel bag that had been drug from place to place during their adventures, she decided that she would have to wash that soon. In the far closet hung Amanda's cloths, and what she assumed were John's, and the other bag. Amanda was rolled up in the bed, sleeping fitfully.

Glancing around one more time, the little girl spotted the wired looking contraption on one of the higher shelves. Curious, she climbed atop the dresser, and reached for the device, and took it down to look at it, the plans drifting to the floor.

It was big and a little bulky; enough room to fit your head into, if you stuck the big chunk of metal on the inside on your mouth. Flipping it over, she noticed he huge springs on the side, and the blood that covered them. She wondered why she would want to keep such a thing. But then she heard a ticking sound. Wondering where it was coming from, Corbett flipped the thing back over just in time to see it go off again.

She screamed and dropped the trap and the one part for the bottom of the jaw caught her hand, and Amanda bolted straight up in bed as the little girl started to cry and apologize.

"Corbett, what the hell are you doing in here and why is my..." she got out of bed and picked up her device, looking to the little girl. "You didn't touch this did you?"

Corbett nodded her guilt, "I'm sorry Aunt Amanda, I just wanted to see what it was…, then the ticking noise started and then it went off and hurt my hand. " Corbett held out her fingers for the woman to see. They were a little red, but not broken.

"That's the reason that I told you not to touch the bag that this was in and now you know not to touch it; it could've done a lot more damage that what it did" even Amanda couldn't stop herself from saying " It could've killed you." She set it back up on the shelf delicately, and picked up the plans. " One day I'll show you what it's for, but not now, so no more going through my stuff unless I tell you to ok?"

Corbett nodded, and then did something that was completely foreign to Amanda: she hugged her.

Amanda stood, stunned for a moment. In all of her 26 years she couldn't remember anyone, even John even giving her a hug, a real one, like this little orphan did.

She slowly wrapped her hands around Corbett's head, and for the first time in a week, she felt that she had an attachment, however small and fragile. She had always felt like and outcast, even in her own family. She had been abandoned by her mother, beaten by her real father, her sister Liz was flaky at best, and that was on her good days. She had no one else to rely on until John took her in. And now this little girl was hugging her, and for the first time in a while Amanda genuinely smiled. Leading Corbett into the kitchen, she got her the last bit of OJ that they had, and went back upstairs to get ready for work. Hopping in the shower, she heard John's voice in her ear again.

_'Very good Amanda, you are learning... and you're almost late for work..._' she could've sworn that he was laughing as she peeked out of the shower at her digital clock.

Oh shit he was right!

"Thanks John." she grumbled, and she and Corbett, along with Billy the bunny headed to the restaurant to her new job, and a fairly new beginning, but little did the pair know that they would be tuning into more trouble, in more ways that one.


	9. New games, old fears

Disclaimer: I. Don't. Own. Saw.

A/N: Well, this might be the last update for a few days, I have this HUGE English paper due next week and I have to sat on it. So here's 9 ok?

As Amanda stepped out of the car, she saw that the restaurant was packed with its usual lunch goers, and this was going to be a fun day at work. At least she had bussed tables before, she just didn't know where the boss wanted her to put Corbett, and hopefully not in plain sight where the shit hole cops could find her.

The pair stepped out of the car just as the boss came out already mad at his new waitress.

"What the hell? We've been swamped for the last hour! Get your ass in there, and have the girl sit on one of the stools on the end of the counter."

Amanda and Corbett mutely nodded, and headed in.

The place was about as shabby as the motel that they had first stayed at, but it was homey nonetheless, and all the regulars had stormed in, wanting their usual grub and gossip. Amanda set Corbett in one of the corner chairs, where she was out of the way but she could still keep an eye on her, or grab her quickly if those two detectives showed up.

Pulling an apron around her waist, she pulled up her hair, and got to work, keeping an eye on Corbett, who had taken to coloring a section of the butcher paper with some old melted crayons she had found. Sighing, Amanda picked up a pen and an order pad, and got to work.

After the lunch crowd finally died out, she finally had a chance to go get the cook to make her and Corbett lunch, for her, a Ruben on white, and for the girl, just a grilled cheese and fries.

Taking out the food to the girl, she bit into her sandwich ravenously, it had been a long while sense she had really had this kind of meal; she had always fix softer foods for John when he was still alive. A pang of guilt and loss shot through Amanda, had the cops even had a proper funeral for him? John really didn't have any blood relations left, and he said his ex girlfriend wouldn't talk to him after she had found out that he had the cancer. Amanda stiffened at this thought as she watched Corbett color absentmindedly. When she found that bitch…

Well, needless to say she didn't have to look that far, as she picked up the plates to get cleaned up for dinner, who should just happen to walk in but _her._ Amanda griped the plates tightly, and slightly slammed them in the sink when she gave them to the night dishwasher.

Pulling her pad out of her pocket, she spotted another man with Jill. He was the stereotypical tall dark and handsome that most women wanted, with chestnut eyes and a bright smile. Amanda wanted to puke. Jill had abandoned John when he most needed her for _this guy?_ Granted he hadn't been ready for marriage at the time, but then again he was getting sick and he didn't want to leave her a widow after the short time that Dr. Gordon had given him. He had grated on her nerves too, she wondered if he ever survived. She hadn't seen his body in the bathroom or the hall when she killed Adam, or when she had all but disposed of Detective Matthews either.

Shrugging, she went over and asked without emotion "What can I get you guys?"

Jill looked up at her and smiled slightly, her wavy dirty blonde hair tied up in a messy bun. She was wearing a sweat suit, and two had probably been out for a jog. She didn't know Amanda, which was to the advantage for the woman, or she didn't know her just yet.

"I'll just have a regular cheese burger and a Coke, what will it be dear?" The Man smiled disgustingly nice as he said, " I think that sounds very good, I'll have the same."

Amanda nodded and took the order to the night cook, who had just got in the back just in time to not get fired---again.

Going back over to check on Corbett, she got Jill's ticket back, and after writing the total on the back, she wrote,

_Hello Jill, you don't know me, but I know you, and very soon we're going to play a game… have a nice day._

She signed the note with an anarchic A, and gave it to them, sniggering to herself.

Jill didn't have time to comprehend to say what the note said, because her boyfriend, soon to be fiancée Bill, had taken the ticket and paid, the waitress at the cash register taking the ticket and pushing it onto the spike next to it.

"Lets go baby, time's a wastin' and I have to ask you something…" Bill tugged on her arm, and Jill felt Amanda watch her as she went out the door in a confused daze.

Amanda sighed as she watched the pair go out the door, they were once again safe for now.

After getting off work, the pair piled into John's old car, and headed home. Lost in her thoughts, Amanda didn't hear Corbett when she said the first time " Hey Aunt Amanda, look what I drew!" as they turned onto the dirt road by the factory, Amanda glanced at the girl's picture briefly, but then tensed as she saw the cop car following them.

"Shit, Corbett, when we get in the house, you run up into my room and hid in the closet and lock the door, there should be a panic room in there, I have a key so I can get you out. But you need to stay in there so they don't find you, and I can take care of them ok?"

"Ok," the girl replied fearfully. "How did they find us?"

"I dunno, but I'm gonna give them one hell of a game, I just hope I can get it set up before they get in the house..." Amanda muttered to herself. Skidding into the drive, she got out, and Corbett ran into the house, and flew up the stairs. Amanda pulled out the gun that she had killed Jeff with, and followed Corbett inside.

Making sure that the girl saw the key around Amanda's neck before she shut the door, Amanda ran down the stairs, a plan formulating in her mind. This might be a fun game after all.

"Please tell me that you have some of that razor wire left John…" she dug franticly for it in several drawers before she found it.

Pulling on the gloves that were in the drawer next to it, she took the wire cutters from the workbench, and set to making another maze. It was based off of the other one that John had stuck his first boss in, just smaller scale really. That's when she noticed that there was a combination lock on the door, and a can of glow in the dark paint on the workbench next to the light switch. And she found yet another tape next to it, and didn't think as she pulled the recorder out of her pocket, pulled out the tape and stuck it in her pocket, and then put the new one in.

_"Amanda, _

_I set up one last game for you just incase that the cops got to close. I once again assume that your mind has been working, and that you did something new with the razor wire." _ God had he thought of everything? Or had he seriously come back from the dead? _ "All you have to do is turn off the light, this one might just be like Jerry and the safe. Good luck, and keep this tape, it had directions to Jill's house, or where she used to live anyway. Try and have mercy on her Amanda, or if you wish, play another game with her, mercy or not, make your choice…" _the tape clicked off just as the cops came through the front door.

Her old habits kicking in, she grinned as she pulled on another hoodie that had been left downstairs, set Billy up in a good spot, and grabbed the voice distorter that was laying on top of a bench of the footage of the nerve gas house.

"Ms. Kramer? Ms. Kramer I want you to come out of this house with your hands up!" she heard Detective Shelley coming closer to the basement, and she almost fell over as she heard the familiar raspy voice that was Billy's:

"She's down here gentleman, and I would like to play a game."

All. By. Himself.

"Thanks dad." Amanda thought she was losing her mind, but she had to stay and watch the fun. She breathed hard as she saw the flashlights of the cops on the stairs…


	10. Fears relived

Disclaimer: I don't own SAW. Ok? That's it.

A/N: Well, sense everyone was clamoring for a new chapter, I though that I'd be nice and give you one! Enjoy!

"Ms. Kramer?" Shelley called his voice a little raspy, he didn't like the sound of that raspy voice that he had become all too familiar with the last few days, it sent chills up his spine. " We need you to come out with your hands up!"

"Sorry gentlemen, but that's not gonna happen. " Amanda called out in a sick tone. "You'll have to come play a little game to come and get me."

"What the hell is she talking about?" Dominic followed his partner down the stairs.

"I have no damn clue but-" he was cut off by Amanda calling out again. " I'd watch my step if I were you sirs, it' gets a bit tricky from here on out, and I'd advise you to leave now before it's to late and you have nowhere to go but to hell." She cackled, she liked the feel of being in control of people's lives again.

"There is a maze of razor wire set up in front of you gentlemen, representing all that you have put my niece, my father and I through over recent years, you have a chance to back out and leave this place before any damage is done, and never come here again. To get to me, and to where the girl is, you'll have to navigate the maze and find the key that unlocks the door I'm about to go through. The combination is written on the walls, or the actual key is hidden in my friend Billy, who is in the far corner…" she pointed when they were in range of her now, her face covered with the hood. Billy the puppet sat in the far right hand corner of the shop, smiling wickedly. " Or like I said before, you can leave now. If you get below the fourth step, the door above you will close, and the girl and I can disappear." She snapped her fingers. " Are you willing to shed any blood? Live or die, make your choice."

"Ah fuck this shit, she's playing with us man!" Dominic said, and stepped down to the fifth step.

Big. Mistake.

The door above them slammed shut, and Shelley grimaced. " You stupid son of a bitch! Now we may be stuck here!"

"Well, then gentlemen," Amanda cut in, "I hope to see you alive some day, or do I? Let the game begin, and oh," she added at the last minute, " I hope neither of you are afraid of the dark…" with that, Amanda sped out the far doorway with a few tapes, her small tapes and tape recorder, and turned off the lights.

Numbers from one to one hundred were painted on every coverable surface, glowing eerily, and Dominic swore as Shelley turned on his flashlight.

"Well, lets see if we can get through here…" he stepped down to the bottom of the stairs, and tried to look around. The maze started where he was currently standing. He spotted the puppet in the corner, and unconsciencusly stepped forward. Bad, bad idea.

He felt the razor wire tear into the flesh right under his right eye, and pulled back, his eye filling with blood.

"Shit!" He stepped back, instinctively covering his eye with his hand.

"What happened?" Shelley asked, looking for his partner.

"I sliced my eye! Be careful, that shit's everywhere!"

"No, duh." Shelley was still looking around for Billy, but the small object was nowhere to be found, it seemed that every time that he looked, the little deranged puppet was nowhere to be found. Was he losing his mind?

"Well, I think that I just lost my sense of direction, or my mind, these numbers are driving me up the wall."

"And onto the ceiling..." Dominic looked above them, where even more numbers were scattered. "This is going to be a long night…"

Amanda bolted up the staircase like her ass was on fire, turning into her room, she grabbed he huge duffel bag, and stuffed everything into it: her cloths, Corbett's cloths, her trap, her box of "goodies" guns, ammo, etc. and the left over cash.

Grabbing the key from her neck, she unlocked Corbett from the closet and she as existed.

"Aunt Amanda! I found money!" the little girl held up some cash, and Amanda grabbed it, not thinking right at the moment, they had to get out of there. Finding another tape next to the girl as well, she shooed Corbett out of the room, and out to the front door.

The pair ran out to the car, and peeled out of the driveway.

A mile or so down the road, Amanda heard the silent sobs of the girl.

"What's wrong Corbett?" she asked tiredly, placing a hand on her head.

"I…miss…mommy…and…daddy…I…want… to… go … home…"

"It's ok, actually… we're going there right now, I have some things that I have to take care of that I forgot about when we left Johns…" Amanda trailed off, and they headed back to the city.

Hours later, they pulled back up to the warehouse that Amanda thought that she'd never see again. Telling Corbett to stay put, she ran inside, looking for more cash that John might've hidden from her.

She found it in the upper drawer that held more of the antidote form the house trap.

"Thank you John." That's when she heard the gun shots outside.

"Fuck! Corbett!" Amanda bolted outside, and found that the van door had been wrenched open, and Corbett life less on the ground…

"Oh god no!" Amanda rushed and picked her up, and put her back in the car, she once again peeled out, this time in the direction of the hospital…

Mak: Ahhhh! Don't shoot me! just review ok? HIT THE BUTTON NOT ME!


	11. Someone to watch over us

Disclaimer: I. Don't. Own. SAW.

A/N: Wow, sense I got a whole LOT of reviews, I thought that I'd update again, but I will warn you, I'm still working on that horrid English paper. But on with 10, I know you want to know where we left our two girls…

"Oh god no! No, Corby…Hang in there… we're almost there…" Amanda tried to reassure herself as well as the small girl, whose pulse was dropping slowly.

Pulling into the ER parking lot, Amanda slammed on the breaks and rushed over to the girl's side and carried her into the ER, oblivious to the danger that she was bringing upon herself.

"I... need…help…" she was on the verge of collapse when one of the nurses took the small body from the woman.

"What the hell happened?"

"I don't know…I had gone into the house to get some money that I had left…I heard shots, and she was on the ground…" Amanda pulled her hair out, and raked her had though her hair. Tears were streaming down her face, and she realized that it wouldn't matter if she was captured, just as long as Corby survived.

&&&&

Meanwhile, Dominic and Shelley were still stuck in the basement, working ever slowly closer to Billy the puppet, and the door. Domminic's eye had swollen shut with dried blood, and Shelley also had his share of battle scars, thought none as bad as his partner's.

"God damnit that stupid bitch! How the hell are we supposed to get out of this god-forsaken hell hole!"

And so they went on, wondering _if _ they were going to make it out of the basement alive.

&&&&&

Two hours later, Amanda had been shoved into one of those "we want you to feel comfortable while your relative faces uncertain death" waiting rooms while they had Corbett in surgery. She said a few prayers, though she knew not to whom, John she supposed.

"If you want me to carry on your legacy well John, you'll spare me to her…" she had just finished her last comment when she heard the door open, and she almost fainted when she saw who it was.

Dr. Lawrence Gordon, M.D. walked in the room, his prosthetic leg betraying what he had done in the bathroom all those months ago, with no less pain on his face. Amanda had to stop herself from staring. How the fuck did he get out? IT was of no matter to her however; she wanted to know about Corbett.

"How is she Dr. Gordon?" Amanda didn't want to sound to anxious, but now that he knew that they were there, they were even at greater risk; she just thanked the power that was that he had been out cold when he had drug him and Adam into that bathroom and turned off the lights.

"Well, she'll make it, she was lucky that it was a through and through. She'll need a day or two to recoup, and then as long as Corbett comes back for her appointments, her wound in her shoulder will heal as normal."

"Thank you…" Amanda sighed in relief, they could leave in two days, but now what was she supposed to do? He had seen her, even if he had not recognized her imeadetly. " If I may ask, what happened to your foot Doc?"

"I, had an accident…" Lawrence winced despite himself, remembering crawling all the way to the ER also, almost dead.

Amanda hoped that those cops had met their demise by the time that she had gotten back, and stood, " May I see her?"

"Yeah, go up two floors, room 212."

"Alright…wow, stuff like this really makes you appreciate life doesn't it?" she couldn't help but prod himself a little, test him.

"You have no idea…" his eyes flashed, and Amanda went to go see her niece.

Up in the hospital room, Corbett was once again coloring; her bandages for her shoulder looking like a football pad.

"Aunt Amanda! I knew that you would save me!" she gave Amanda her second hug, and she wholeheartedly returned it saying, "I thought that I'd lost you…" she let go, and the little girl proudly shown off her drawings.

"Look! I made one of you and me and Billy! I thought I'd lost in the house, but turns out it was in my jeans pocket, but..." Corby hesitated, "While I was in the other room and asleep, there was this man…I think that it was grampa John…I drew him…does it look like him Amanda?" Amanda took the drawing, and it did look like John, as well as an eight-year-old could draw him; his eyes, his face were really very good, and he was smiling.

"Did he say anything to you?" Amanda wiped away more tears from her face, setting down the picture.

"He said that it was going to be okay, and that we weren't going to be caught, and that he had taken care of everything…that Dr. Gordon would mean us no harm…that he had… learned his lesson, and not to worry…" Corbett looked confused, "That's when I woke up."

Amanda nodded, so she didn't have to deal with the good doctor after all.

"Ok, that's good to know. But as soon as they let you out, you'll have to be careful, because we have to leave again soon, I left those two cops in the basement, and they won't be very happy if they get out."

The girl just nodded, and went back to coloring, totally oblivious to what that meant at the moment.

Mak: Well, there it is, hit the button on your way out of Corbetts room.


	12. Another time lost

Disclaimer: I. Don't. Own. SAW.

A/N: Well, here's the next chapter, sorry the last one was so short, but I finally finished the English paper of doom, so now I have more time to write…

Two days later, Corbett and Amanda found themselves showered, dressed, and on their way back to Josaih.

"Now what are we going to do Aunt Amanda? We can't go back to the hose if the cops are still there, or if they left, they know who we are, and we're going to be in big trouble." Corbett hugged Billy; the small rabbit becoming completely dilapidated and a little worse for wear.

"I know that, but if they're still there, I need you to go back upstairs ok, I'll take care of those two cops that came in the door." Amanda replied absently, pulling into yet another gas station and fast food place, pulling up to one of the pumps and getting out. Corbett and Billy followed.

"But what if they're dead?" the girl asked, clutching the beloved animal.

The older one sighed, what if they were dead? Amanda didn't know if Corbett would be ready to face that sort of thing; she was only eight for god's sake. Even at 25 Amanda had only been barely good enough to look almost bored when she and John had cleaned up the nerve gas house trap, and dispose of the bodies. Let alone a little girl in a basement full of razor wire and the possibility of two dead bodies and a lot of blood. Closing her eyes, Amanda noticed that the pump had stopped, and the two went inside to pay for their fuel.

This was one of the nicer stops that hey had made over the course of their short travels, the white linoleum floor was actually clean, the display racks full of the usual junk that were the staple foods of travelers.

"Can I get some ice cream Aunt Amanda?" Corbett asked, eyeing the display. The woman silently nodded, and the girl went and picked out two huge wrapped ice creams, an handed them both to the man at the counter, who looked like he'd seen better days.

After paying, the two were in no particular hurry to leave, so they sat at one of the picnic tables, soaking up the sun and surveying the landscape while absentmindedly eating.

Corbett giggled, and looked to Amanda who asked "What? Do I look funny now?"

"No, you just have ice cream all over your hand Amanda, haven't you ever had it?"

"Not for a very long time…" it had actually been years, John hadn't even let her indulge in much junk food, she had to be in tiptop shape to survive his games, and his temper.

"Did you ever get to go outside with grandpa John?" the girl asked, taking a monstrous bite out of her treat and had puffed out cheeks, which made Amanda grin for once.

"Yeah, we used to all the time, before he got really sick, and couldn't go out anymore… he'd teach me things that one day I'll teach to you kid, but he did have a thing for the occasional frappichino and those curly cheetos… It was funny, he would always want the ones that changed colors too…" that's when Amanda started to laugh, and for the second time in this ordeal, she truly felt happy, as she ate her strawberry ice cream, and Corby her chocolate.

&&&

But down in the basement, things weren't going so well for the two detectives.

"I got it! I got the damn puppet!" Dominic exclaimed in glee, holding Billy the puppet for Shelley to see through a wall of wire, "I'll try and make it back to you, have you figured out any of the combo yet?" the latter had made to the door, the pair having spit up in the middle of the maze.

"Almost, just a few numbers left." Shelley went back to the door, but after a few minutes, he noticed at he wasn't hearing anything form his usually chatty partner.

"Hey Dom? You ok over there?"

"No… Shell...help me…" Shelley turned around and almost dropped his flashlight and felt a wet spot on his pants.

Dominic had gotten the key out of Billy, but in the process of trying to get back to Shelley, he had gotten tangles in the wire, and had strangled and almost severed his own head off, blood gushing from the wounds on his chest and neck.

"Dom! Hang in there man!" Shelley reached through the wire carefully, taking the key from Dom.

"Tell everyone….good bye…" and with that, Dominic died.

Shelley stood there in shock, how the hell was he going to get out of here now? The battery was going out in his flashlight, and Dominic had died…the only way out was the key. Going back over to the door, Shelley hesitated, and the slipped the key into the lock and turned it. To his relief, heard the click of the lock in the door, opening it slowly, he found that there was no more traps behind the door; the bitch hadn't lied. Sighing, he went back out to his car, and knowing that he couldn't face all of their friends and family, especially Dominic's, killed himself in the front seat of his squad car.

&&&

When Amanda and Corbett pulled into the driveway a few hours later, AManda was the first to notice that the cop car was still there, but there was something diffrent about it...

"Hey stay here." she got out of the car, and made her way to the other vehicle. Seeing the red stain in the front windshield, she opened the door, and wasn't suprised when she saw that half of detective Shelley's face was gone, and she sniggered.

"Couldn't take it huh? Stupid bastard...So I take your buddy didn't make it out huh?" she shut the door of the car, and motioned to Corby that it was safe to come out.

"Well, those two cops won't be bothering us... I just need you to stay out of the basement while I clean things up ok?"

Corbett nodded, and the pair went inside, wondering what the pair had left in their wake.


	13. The voice in her head

Disclaimer: I. Don't. Own. SAW.

A/N: Well, it's the weekend, and that means one chapter for probably two days….

Corbett made her way through the living room first, wondering if all of their stuff was still standing. It was, just as if they had just walked through the door, but there was a feeling of omniscient dread. She didn't like it, and held Billy the closer as she turned to Amanda to study her.

The older woman had taken to sweeping the Area with a cloth; to take out any fingerprints that they might leave there, the cops still didn't know that Corbett was still alive. She worked franticly, making Corby just wanted to shut her eyes and scream, to make all of this go away, to be back at home, and warm in bed.

But she knew that wasn't going to be the case as she and Amanda trudged back up the stairs, and she watched her pull out the famous duffel bag. She gave Amanda a look, who replied with a, "It's not going to be for long, just until they figure out that we won't be here for a while."

"Yeah like that'll be easy, considering the mess that's probably downstairs Aunt Amanda. I'll go pack." She added sullenly, she was getting tired of running.

Amanda didn't blame her, so was she. How was she supposed to train Corby if every time they tried to settle into a normal routine the cops were always on their heels? Shaking her head, she packed up all the usual necessities. Going out into the hallway, she headed down the stairs into the basement, with the same pair of gloves and wire cutters that she had used earlier.

Cutting down the maze was a little more tedious than Amanda realized, she hadn't done it the first time, she was still recovering the initial shock of her own trap by the time that John was taking it down. She had only watched the tape and seen what it could do. Finally, 45 minutes later she had it completed, but something was missing, where was Billy the puppet?

She found Billy, torn and ragged, in the corner next to Detective Dominic's body. Picking him up gently, Amanda felt tears fill her eyes. This had been one of John's last works, one of his greater achievements, and they had just thrown it away like it was nothing. Holding Billy to her for a moment, Amanda set him on top of a bunch of tapes before starting to clean up the rest of the basement, crying for John the whole time.

&&&

A few hours later, while Corbett was once again bent over some scrap of paper with a fist full of Crayolas, she brought Billy the puppet up from the basement, hoping to save him a little. Taking out a sewing kit that she had found in Corbett's room, she took Billy into the living room, and sitting on the couch, started to sew him back together. Then, when she had finally noticed that she had been trying to saw the same place twice, or maybe even three times, she got frustrated and put Billy on the table, violently jabbing the needle into her wrist at the same time.

"Ahhh! I…can't…." she started to cry again, feeling disgusted with herself for it, this wasn't who she was supposed to be, some person who cries over some doll. She was supposed to be cold, calculating. Instead she was looking after some eight year old little girl, who she barely knew, crying and trying to sew back together some stupid ass doll.

_"No Amanda…you have to remember why you are doing this..." _a small voice that sounded like John's in her head, _ "You have to stay strong to get through this. Do not let your anger and bitterness take over you again."_

"FUCK YOU!!" she yelled to the empty expanse, trying to drive out her sense of loneliness, "MY ANGER? WHAT ABOUT YOURS YOU STUPID BASTARD!! YOU'RE THE ONE WHO MADE ME THIS WAY!!" more tears were pouring as she bolted out into the backyard, Corbett on her heels, wondering what was going on.

_"No, you made you this way Amanda, I just taught you to try and use that anger and bitterness in a more…useful way. Just try and calm down Amanda, everything will-" she_ cut off the voice. "No, it won't be ok! It hasn't been ok sense you died! I can't do this without your help!"

"Whose help Aunt Amanda?" Corbett lightly touched Amanda on the shoulder, who had now reduced herself back to sitting in the yard and hugging herself, wanting to crawl into a hole. "Are you ok?" that's when she noticed the needle.

"Holy crap!" the little girl dashed back inside, and her first instinct was to call 911, but her recent travels had taught her better. Running into the bathroom, he grabbed some of the leftover gauze that was inside, and the peroxide, that's what her mom used to use for her cuts and bruises.

Running back outside, the little girl worked fast in pulling out the needle, and dousing the wound in peroxide. That's when Amanda came back to herself, and noticed the pain.

"Holy shit what the hell are you doing?" she jerked back her arm, but the girl sighed ad brought it back.

"You stupid, I'm cleaning it, you stuck that sewing needle into your arm, and you were screaming like a crazy person." She sopped up the peroxide, and wrapped her Aunt's arm in the rest of the gauze. "You're lucky that didn't end up deeper Aunt Amanda, or we would've been making another trip to see Dr. Gordon."

"Yeah, by the way, you need to look at your battle wound there to smart ass." Amanda stood, and pointed to the girl's shoulder.

"I did earlier, while you were cleaning up the mess in the basement." She handed the needle back to Amanda and said in a mock grown voice, "Now Aunt Amanda, you are to go back inside and finish sewing that creepy little puppet, and not to freak out this time."

Amanda swore she could hear John laughing all the way from hell.


	14. Sucky luck

Disclaimer: (looks to captive audience) Well, as we all ( **hears noise in the hallway) **Hang on a second guys… opens the front door, revealing a very scared looking Keiko.

Keiko: Where the hell am I?

Me: Well, you're in the living room of the nerve gas house…um… looks to captive fans well, everyone, this is Keiko, otherwise known as HeartofChaos…and usually never comes here... Keiko, what _are_ you doing here?

Keiko: Well, I was on my way back to the Harry Potter section to update, and I guess I opened the wrong door…Eww, this place is creepy…I don't like it, I think I came though the bathroom, but it was grungy and there was a foot and a dead body…

Me: Yeah that would be Adam and Dr. Gordan's foot…but I'll let you go if you do the disclaimer…

Keiko: ok…Makaidoesn'townSAWoranyofthecreepystuffthatgoeswithit. Andshewouldloveitifyourevewedattheend,thanksandhaveagreatday!

Me: Billy, show her out… Billy rides up on tricycle, and leads Keiko out

Well, as my friend said, I don't own, and review at the end! And a HUGE Thanx to Animorphgirl for giving me 85 of the idea for this chapter!

Amanda and Corbett went back inside, and back to normal for a few minutes. Amanda tried to go back to fixing Billy, but she just couldn't do it, he had been to precious to John and if she messed him up, that would really push her over the edge. Frustrated again at her self, she trudged up the stairs and fell into bed, completely mentally and physically tired.

Corbett had watched this whole scene from the kitchen, knowing that her Aunt wanted to be left alone. But when Amanda had disappeared upstairs, the little girl wandered into the living room, and picked up the deranged doll.

His red eyes were chipped a little, and his stuffing was still coming out where Amanda had stopped. Picking up the needle and turning on the lamp, the little girl set to her task with a vengeance determined that she was going to make it right for Amanda, even if it took her all night.

It only took Corbett about an hour and a half to get Billy the puppet sewn back together, then she took to polishing up his face, and everything down to his little red shoes.

Padding upstairs, the little girl set the puppet on Amanda's nightstand. Amanda was sleeping fitfully but soundly at the same time, and didn't wake when the girl left to go back to bed herself. In the morning, Amanda woke to find the small toy to be almost new. Thinking that she must still be dreaming, she sat up slowly, and reached for Billy, trying to figure out why he looked just like John had left him.

"Do you like him Aunt Amanda? I hope I fixed him right…" Corbett walked in seconds later, Billy the bunny under one arm.

Amanda looked to her, bleary eyed and asked sleepily, "You...put him back together?" she yawned, and got up, stretching.

"Yeah, I saw that you couldn't finish him by yourself, so I did."

"Oh, uh…thanks…lets put our friend up here…" she set Billy the puppet up next to her trap, and looked around. Shit, she still and to go to work today, and get the bills paid today, and switched over to her name. Not to mention get adoption papers for Corbett.

But she didn't want to think about it right now, she really needed a shower and a stiff drink if she was the type to get drunk in the morning. Shooing Corbett out to go get dressed herself, Amanda stripped down form the cloths that she had been forced for the last two days to wear and step into the hot water.

After getting out and dressed, she went down stairs to find Corby finishing the picture that she had started the night before. The girl finished it, and stuck it to the fridge, which was being covered in the girl's work.

This one was of Corbett, Amanda, and both Billies.

Amanda's second day at work went fairly smoothly, and the pair went home with no incident for once. Or so they thought.

They decided to go to the courthouse the next morning to get everything that had been John's over to Amanda, but she had to be careful, it was going to be more than tricky, but she had an idea, even if she didn't like some of it. Telling Corbett to go get the sharpest kitchen knife that she could find, she sat on the bathroom counter as her Aunt closed her eyes, and chopped up her hair again, to the length that it had been when all the games had first began. She had some leftover makeup that she brought with her through her travels, and started putting on the black eyeliner, eye shadow and mascara that Adam described her as "rockstarish."

Gelling her hair, she stood back, satisfied with her appearance.

"Ok, I think that we'll be ok…" she hoped. Piling into the car, they made their way down to the town courthouse, but little did they know that they had fate working against them…

Their luck had run out.

Going into the courthouse, Amanda was in line for social services when she noticed the t.v. screen

"…And here we may have late breaking news…the Josiah City police have found the remains of the two detectives responsible for tracking the apprentice of Jigsaw…" Amanda turned pale, and shoved Corbett protectively behind her

"Oh, shit…Corby, stay behind me." she whispered. "Because we're not running anymore…" that's when they heard the pounding of footsteps, Amanda the familiar sound of a cocked gun…

"Ms. Kramer, back away from the child with your hands up…"

Whispering a quick prayer to John, Amanda did what she was told, hoping the she could find a back door.


	15. The hardest game of all

Disclaimer: I. Don't. Own. SAW.

A/N: wow, thank you for all the reviews! Billy finally gave them back! **(glares at Billy)** on with 15!

That back door wasn't coming so easily. Amanda backed up and turned around, her hands out "where the cops could see them".

The officer that had ordered her to do this was the one that put his gun down, and proceeded to cuff her, and others had moved Corbett out of her sight.

"Corbett!" she yelled franticly as she was taken away, and she heard Corby calling for her.

"AUNT AMANDA!!!!!" Corbett struggled from the well-intentioned social worker, and she ran to her, tears running down her face. Hugging Amanda tightly, not letting go. "What's gonna happen to us?" she sobbed, clinging to Amanda's shirt.

"I don't know honey…but go with the worker, and I'll see you when I can, " then she whispered "There's always a back door. Be ready to go." The girl nodded, and then was drug away by a woman in a pinstripe suit. Amanda was drug in an opposite but similar direction, over to the courthouse jail.

After about 20 minutes, Amanda was being grilled again, just like she was three or four years ago. She gave them skittish answers, and after they finally left, she pulled over the two Styrofoam cups that held age-old coffee, and stuck them in her mouth. Setting her hand in front of her, she knew that she was going to have to take desperate measures to get her and Corby out of here. Closing her eyes and biting down on the four layers, she pulled on her right wrist until she felt the joint dislocate. Tears coming down her face, she took it out of the cuff, and painfully popped it back into place.

Now to find Corbett. Opening the door carefully, Amanda slipped out of the room, and moved silently down the hall. Seeing the room that the girl was in, she had to wait for a few hard minutes until the worker went down the opposite hall, and Amanda moved in. She motioned for Corby to be absolutely silent, and come with her. The pair slipped out of the second room, and made their way down the hall. Getting out of the building wasn't easy though, but they made it.

"Peeling out of the parking lot and headed for a quick stop at the house, Corbett asked "Now what Aunt Amanda? You know that we can't stay here now."

"I know. But the thing is where to go, but does it matter?" the girl shrugged as her aunt spoke.

"Corby listen, no matter where the road takes you, you need to know that your life is precious, and that you can't throw it away, no matter what anyone tells you ok? You need to remember that because…" she halted, she didn't know if she could finish. "Because I didn't up until about four years ago. John had found me in the hospital, OD from drugs. I didn't like my life then, and John taught me that. You know that thing that I told you never to touch?" the girl nodded.

"He hooked that into my mouth, and it would've killed me, but I got out of it and lived…but I had to kill someone…and I don't want to kill anymore…I don't want to teach you to kill Corbett, you're going to be better than that damnit!" She hit the steering wheel with her fist.

Corbett started; she had never heard this side of the story form her Aunt.

"I'm going to how you what you should do to make people see, by helping them, making them see the best in themselves…you taught me that Corby, you taught me to live again…and I can never repay you for that, ever. That is the key to winning the most difficult game of all: life."

Corbett nodded, and went back to staring out the window. "I know Aunt Amanda, and don't worry, we'll make it." And with that the two went back into the house for the last time, and packed what the needed, knowing that it was going to be a very long, but eventful life.

EPILOUGE:

The police never caught Amanda or Corbett after that day in the courthouse. After changing her name, Amanda was enrolled in group therapy for her cutting, and Corbett progressed through school fairly normally, though both had to take anti-depressants regularly, and Amanda was treated for severe Stockholm syndrome. Amanda always kept her headtrap and Billy the puppet, up on a shelf in her bedroom. She never married. Though Corbett ran into Jill one day some 3 years later, she felt no anger towards the woman, though Amanda had told her what she did to John.One day though, years later, when Amanda was visiting John's grave, she thought that she heard his voice whispering through the trees.

"_Very good, you have passed your test Amanda…good job. I'm proud of you." _ And she went home to hear about Corbett's day.

Mak: well, there it is, my first SAW fic, hope you all liked it, and I have another one that should be up soon, i just need at least five reviews for me to start it, so hit the little button! And thanks for reading!


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